Well shut-off.



O. B. THOMPSON.

.WELL SHUT-OFF. APPLIOATION PIL'ED una, 1910.

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CLEMENT B. THOMPSON, OE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF IO WILLIAM A. RUSSELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WELL SHUT-OFF.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented M( y 2, 1911.

Application filed May 3, 1910. Serial No. 559,109.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEMENT B. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Well Shut-Offs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a shut off means adapted to check and direct theliow of fluid from a well when that fluid is flowing with great velocityT and under great pressure.

In well drilling, and especially in oil well work, it quite often happens that gas or oil under an enormous pressure is struck. The fluid is projected by this pressure out of the well through the casing at an extremely high velocity, often demolishing the drilling apparatus and in all cases rendering it difficult and'dangerous to approach the well in order to shut off the flow. Various methods have been resorted to in order to check the flow, but all methods heretofore used have necessitated the presence of a man in the immediate vicinity for their operation. In some cases the operator has been provided with a diving suit or other apparatus to protect him from the oil and gas.

My device is designed to reduce the velocity of flow so that the fluid may be easily handled without necessitating the presence of any operator within the danger zone. It is kept in position on the casing when it is thought that a body of fluid under pressure is likely to be encountered. In this position it does not interfere at all with the ordinary drilling operation and is ready for instant application at any time.

The device may be closed in many different ways, but I have preferred to show means for closing it by pulling upon cables which run to points outside the danger Zone. llllhen once closedthe device is held in that position by automatic catches. The fluid is diverted from the head of the casing` into a number of discharge pipes or other conveying means of sufficient capacity to easily handle all that can flow through the casing.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section showing my device applied to a well casing. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings 5 designates the casing of a well to the upper end of which a nipple 6 is secured in the usual manner by means of a collar 7. Nipple 6 is a part of the shut off' device and is removed from the casing whenever an eXtra joint is desired to be put in the hole. Mounted on nipple 6 and in screw threaded engagement therewith is a collar 8 having upwardly and outwardly projecting prongs 9 thereon. These prongs are oppositely disposed and are so placed as to inclose depressions 10 between them and the collar 8.

The main portion of the shut off device is composed of two members 12 and 13, each of these members being of the configuration shown and having hollow interiors for the flow of fluid. Along their central line of juncture each of the members is provided with a downwardly projecting tongue 14C, the two tongues forming a wedge shaped partition, or deflecting member, extending downwardly from the tops of the members to a point over the upper end of nipple 6. The lower edge 15 of this wedge shaped dellecting member is comparatively thin and the stream of fluid impinging upon the edge is split into two streams, each flowing around the curve of the interior of one of the members 12 or 13 and thence through outlets 16 into {ieXible pipes 17 or into any other convenient conveyer. The hollow interiors of members 12 and 13 form chambers into which the fluid flow is deflected by the wedge. The lower edge of one of the tongues 141 is provided with an overhanging ledge 18 which covers the lower edge of the other tongue 14 and thus presents to the upwardly flowing stream of oil a solid surface on the under edge of the deflecting member. This prevents the stream from forcing its way .into the joint between the two tongues. To further prevent any pressure from escaping along this joint, member 13 is provided with a lip 19 which overhangs member 12 and forms a tight joint therewith.

Each of members 12 and 13 is provided with a downwardly projecting leg 20 whose lower end rests in one of depressions 10. Ribs 21 strengthen the legs and connect with the body portion of members 12 and 13. At the upper ends of legs 20' the members 12 and 13 completely inc lose the upper end of nipple 6. A head 25 is provided on the upper end of the nipple, this head having a flange 26 on its upper end. Flange 26 is engaged by a groove in liner 27, the liner being combination with a well casing, a pair ofv divided into two halves, one half fitting into each of the members 12 and 18. These liners are made in different sizes so that one device may be made to iit all sizes of pipe.

The members are held together in the position shown by means of catches 30 on their sides; and also by means of cables 31 which are provided with hooks 32, or other connecting means, to handles 33 mounted on the upper portions of members 12 and 13.

ien catches 30 are released and the tension on the cables is lessened the members will bot-h fall downwardly and outwardly away from each other until ledge 20 rests upon prongs 9. In this position there is sufficient room between the members for the passage of the drilling tools into the casing. This is the position in which the device is normally kept. 1When a flow of iiuid under pressure is encountered and t-he iiuid is ejected with great velocity from the casing it is only necessary that cables 31 be pulled upon from distant points in order to close the device and to divert the tiow into pipes 17. These pipes may be of any size and number. For ordinary operation a pair of outlets will suffice, but in extraordinary cases it may be necessary to provide either outlets which are larger or t-o provide two or more for each member. In any ease the iuid is easily handled on account of the large capacity of the outlet as compared with the small capacity of the casing. In this manner a larg'e flow of oil may be saved and stored up for future use instead of being allowed to run to waste. The pipes conneoted with the outlets may be carried to any tank or reservoir as the flow is comparatively slow and the pipe easily handled.

My invention consists primarily in the combination of a deiiector with a chamber into which the escaping fluid is guided so that its upward flow is cheeked and rendered manageable. More specifically, it consist-s in certain structural features tending to further the efficiency of the combination, and especially in the combination of a pair or more of chambers and outlets so that the lateral pressures may be equalized.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A well shut off device, comprising in hollow delecting members having tongues I thereon,

l Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents gether a wedge shaped deleeting wall above the upper end of the casing.

2. A well shut oli device, comprising in combination with a well casing, a pair of hollow members pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the casing, each of the members being provided with a downwardly extending tongue, the tongues together adapted to foiin a downwardly wedge shaped deiector over the upper end of the casing, and outlets for the hollow members, the interior surfaces of the hollow members leading in smooth curves from the wedge shaped deilector to t-he outlets.

3. A well shut oit device, comprising in combination with a well casing, a pair of hollow detlecting members having tongues thereon, the tongues adapted together to form a wedge shaped defleetor above the 'upper end of the easing, and pivotal mounting means for the deiecting members on the casing.

4. A well shut ott device, comprising in combination with a well casing, a pair of hollow detlecting members having tongues thereon, the tongues adapted together to form a wedge shaped detlector above the upper end of the casing, pivotal mounting means for the delecting members on the casing, a collar on the upper end of the casing, and means on the deflecting members for engaging with the collar.

.5. A well shut oif device, comprising in combination with a well easing, a pair of hollow deflecting members having tongues thereon, the tongues adapted together to form a wedge shaped deflector above the upper end of the casing, pivotal mounting means for the deiiecting members on the casing, outlets for the hollow members, the interior surfaces of the hollow members leading in smooth curves from the wedge shaped de- Hector to the outlet, a collar on the upper end of the casing, and means on the deflecting members for engaging with the collar.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of April 1910.

CLEMENT B. THOMPSON. lVitnesses ELwooD I-I. BARKELEW, W. A. RUSSELL.

Washington, D. C.

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